Inner Being
by CSchultz1117
Summary: Arthur had always been precise.  He has always liked structure, and awareness.  I had never thought anything of it before.  I knew what he had been though, though; but I never put two and two together.


Hi! Okay, so this is my first ever fanfic, and I am really nervous! I really hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy reading other stories on here! Enjoy!

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><p>Arthur had always been precise. He has always liked structure, and awareness. I had never thought anything of it before. I knew what he had been though, though; but I never put two and two together.<p>

Cobb's POV

I remember the first time I realized something was wrong. The whole team went out for coffee at a small café. The café wasn't one we usually went to, but no one seemed to mind. We all ordered, and chatted while we waited for our orders. Once they were all brought out, Arthur asked the waitress if she was sure she brought him the right thing. Even after she assured him, he stayed skeptical and nervous. He didn't drink any of his coffee that day.

Yusuf's POV

Cobb always wanted Arthur to test my solutions. Others would offer, but Cobb would always insist. Arthur would always make me so nervous. It always seemed like he was having… a nightmare. Waking up in a sweat, breathing hard. I would ask if he was okay, but he would just say yes, and walk into the bathroom. I never questioned him about it though.

Eames' POV

Arthur, that bloke, was always so good with a gun. It scared me sometimes. The whole team would sometimes go to the shooting range, you know, just to practice. Arthur could hit the bull's-eye 10/10 times. He did it so gracefully too. I once bet him that he couldn't do that with an M-16. Well… let's just say I lost that bet; by a lot.

Ariadne's POV

We had been going out for a while now, Arthur and I. We would go to restaurants, and take walks a lot, or sometimes just sit in the park and talk. It took four months to be invited inside his house. He was reluctant, and didn't even feel comfortable once I was inside. I couldn't help to but to notice, how clean and orderly it was. Not one thing out of place. The door had five locks on it. I just accepted that, that was how he lived.

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><p>By now the whole team had noticed Arthur's strange "Quirks". They all began to worry about their beloved Point Man. They knew this behavior wasn't new; they were just never looking for it before.<p>

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><p>Eames' POV<p>

Once again it was time for Yusuf's chemical testing, and once again, Dom summoned Arthur. It was a slow day in the warehouse, so we were all loitering near the testing area. As Arthur came out of the bathroom, and began walking over to us, i notice how horrible he looked. Paler, and more ghostly than usual. He dragged himself , more that glided today, also. Without thinking I stood up and said, "Dom, maybe I could do the testing today? Give Arthur a break to go… do whatever Point Men do?" Arthur stopped and looked at me with deep brown eyes. But Cobb shook his head.

"No Eames. You know I always have Arthur do it. He knows what I'm looking for." Sighing, I sit back down, and watch as the young man plops himself in the chair. He rubs the bridge of his nose as Yusuf gets the solution prepared.

"Okay, Arthur, this one is special, so I need you to stay in the dream for a whole hour this time. We'll use the kick if you don't wake up on your own…" As the chemist said this, Arthur looked up.

"Wait, what do you mean, 'if I don't wake up'? Usually I always wake up when the time is done, with these tests." He seemed almost, alarmed, and scared.

"Just in case, Arthur. This one being different, I don't know if your waking up reaction will be the same." And with that, he jabbed the needle into the Point Man's arm.

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><p>We all sat there awkwardly as Yusuf observed him, taking notes.<p>

"Have any of you notice Arthur's…" Ariadne said quietly, unable to pick the best word to complete her thought. I shook my head along with the other team members.

"I'm- I'm kind of worried." She said in a small, sweet voice.

"Well," Cobb began to say, when suddenly we heard Yusuf say Arthur's name. I turned around and saw a concerned look on his face as he looked at the man in the chair. He was sweaty looking, and he had a worried, pained look on his face. I cautiously went over, and gently touched his arm. Almost instantly, he jumped up, gasping for air.

"ARTHUR!" Yusuf yelled. "What happened? Are you okay?" The point man sat there with his head in his hands.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just… give me a second…" He sounded hoarse, and looked weak, and wobbly, walking to the bathroom.

"Dom. What the bloody hell was that all about?" I asked, upset. The man sat there puzzled for a moment, before looking up and saying,

"Did he ever tell you that he was in the military?"

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><p>We all waited for him to come out. But he never did; not for a while, that is. Finally, I got up to go talk to him. Knocking on the bathroom door, I asked, "Arthur, you okay in there, boy? You gave us quite a scare!"<p>

"Yeah, I'm fine!" he said, not even sounding like himself, "Don't worry." But I was worried. Opening the door, I find him sitting beside the toilet, looking paler that ever.

"Arthur," I said shocked, shaking my head. "What happened in that dream?" He sighed as I lifted him off the ground, and to his feet. Immediately, his hand goes to his head.

"Nothing happened… I just… wasn't feeling very good before, and that just... I'm fine though." He began to ramble, and I just laughed; but not in a funny way.

"Arthur, you can barely stand. Next time, tell Cobb or Yusuf when you're sick. We don't want this happening again." Helping him to the couch, I knew him being sick didn't cause the dream; the dream caused him being sick.

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><p>As I walked back to the group they all stood and asked how he was and what happened. Being a good friend, I lied and said that he was just not feeling the best. Everyone mostly accepted it, and carried on to their business. I quickly stopped Cobb, though.<p>

"Cobb. You know Arthur the best, so you should know that he's full of crap when he says he's just doesn't feel well."

"I know…" The older man sighed. "I've wanted to talk to him about it, but… I just can't. I don't know what it will do to him."

"Talk to him about what?" I urged. All of this secrecy was pissing me off. Cobb just looked glanced at Arthur's resting body. Finally, the man looked back at me, and with sad, regretful eyes, he whispered,

"When Arthur was 21, he joined the military. He was in training when there was a sudden need of soldiers to fight. Arthur was sent in. He spent 12 months in Afghanistan, completely lost on what to do. He never learned anything in training, because he never finished training. He had to learn all himself. I don't know exactly what he witnessed over there, but I do know it changed him. When he came home, he was not the same man. And now…" Once again he trailed off, leaving me hanging. Enough was enough. I was fed up.

"Fuck, Cobb! What the bloody hell are you trying to say?"

"Arthur is being deployed back to Afghanistan. In two months." My jaw literally dropping to the ground, I glance at the sleeping young man. He looked so innocent, and… helpless. I felt like my heart was ripped out for him.

"Fuck." Was all I could say to Cobb. "Well what I've seen the last few months, I honestly don't think he'll make it." The words sounded so foreign, talking about Arthur. I never thought Arthur would have a weakness. And certainly not one that I couldn't make fun of. But this was real. Arthur is going to torture himself with his thoughts, and I couldn't watch that happen. We needed to help him. And as if he read my mind, Cobb's worried voice agreed.

"Yes. We do."


End file.
